The Answer Man is one of those modestly diverting motion pictures that's as sweet as cotton candy -- and as insubstantial.
Comment
07/23/09
The Answer Man (2009)
31
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:39
Fresh:12
Rotten:27
Average Rating:5/10
Consensus: The Answer Man takes an interesting premise and overloads it with implausible scenarios, indie comedy cliches, and an all-too-familiar story arc that only occasionally benefits from its typically capable actors.
Theatrical Release:Jul 24, 2009 Limited
Synopsis: From first-time director John Hindman, comes THE ANSWER MAN, a romantic comedy starring Jeff Daniels (The Squid and the Whale), Lauren Graham (“Gilmore Girls”) and Lou Taylor Pucci (Thumbsucker).... [More]
Starring: Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham, Lou Taylor Pucci, Olivia Thirlby
Director: John Hindman
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Reviews for The Answer Man
Top CriticAn uplifting spiritual drama about the value of wonder, the trouble with answers, the constrictions of fear, and the liberation of sharing and caring for others.
07/23/09
For all intents and purposes an uncredited remake of As Good As It Gets, which was kind of a crap flick to begin with...
07/25/09
An unpretentious, subtle story of one man's redemption.
07/29/09
Top Criticabout as memorable as the proverbial stock picture that came with the frame
07/23/09
Answer Man is a pleasant and enjoyable film, easy to go down, and often wrong about details: perfect for network TV.
07/26/09
Watchable and occasionally endearing, but it's frustrating when our good will is tested by greeting-card sentiment and assembly-line clichés.
08/08/09
What's the point of giving us unsentimentalized and messed-up characters if you're just going to steer them all towards a tidy, unconvincing denouement?
07/21/09
How much more interesting is a film like (500) Days of Summer, which is about the complexities of life, in comparison with this one, which cheerfully cycles through the cliches.
08/06/09
Top CriticIt's rare that a movie manages to be both graceful and biting at the same time, let alone smart, funny and sweet. But The Answer Man fills the bill.
07/21/09
Arlen's salvation plays out with tender cloying predictability, though Lauren Graham, as the chiropractor who falls for him, has more spark than the movie deserves.
07/22/09
Top CriticAn earnest, banal, not-quite-satire of New Age wisdom that evolves into a psychobabbling romantic drama.
08/06/09
For those seeking smart, sharp, witty, indie filmmaking here's your answer.
07/15/09
Its crackly sarcasm and smart talk turn out to be simply coating for a soft, icky, center.
07/24/09
Top CriticThe Answer Man is a perfect example of an Intelligent Bad Movie, easy to take, promising along the way ... And then things start to go wrong.
07/31/09
Top CriticThe debut from writer-director John Hindman features a premise that sounds an awful lot like As Good As It Gets, except the script isn't as sharp.
07/22/09
Top CriticWhile the film periodically threatens to veer into extreme cutesy indie territory, Daniels and Graham keep it grounded.
07/24/09
It almost felt like the characters weren’t really reciting dialogue that came from them but rather just simply memorizing it off the script.
07/27/09
Top CriticWhile The Answer Man has a meandering pace and ultimately goes precisely where you think it will, first-timer Hindman makes the journey pleasant among these literate and interesting folk.
08/27/09
You have a likable cast, an engaging enough story with a few moments of both humor and emotional honesty.
07/27/09
Top CriticLatest News for The Answer Man
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June 14, 2009:
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June 14, 2009:
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